Nothing Else Matters
by LionSparked
Summary: Dean thought he had some semblance of control in his life after the Apocalypse... that is, until a certain blonde vampire showed up at Camp Chitaqua. He tries to keep his distance, but can he stay away from the one person who seems to understand him in this crazy, messed up life? Working on the summary. End!verse. Dearoline.
1. The Unexpected Arrival

**Disclaimer:** I do not - in any way - own any of the characters from any TV shows mentioned in my work. I only own my original characters and plotlines. Any similarities to real life people whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

* * *

Dean sat back in his chair with a fatigued sigh. He'd been working on his weapons all afternoon, ensuring they were in perfect condition for the next mission. He found it almost soothing, sharpening his blades and cleaning out the barrels of his guns. Yet no matter how hard he tried, Dean couldn't relax. There was a kink in his neck that just wouldn't go, and Chuck had been on his ass all day about supplies. He sighed at the thought, knowing that meant he and some of the others would have to go and get rations. It was hard enough trying to find food to feed the hundred or so living in the camp, let alone the other necessaries everyone needed. It was times like this that made him think back to the past, a simpler time when all he had to worry about was hunting and looking after... Sam. Dean clenched his jaw; he couldn't allow himself to think about his brother, not after everything that had happened. It was his fault Sam was gone, he'd gone and let him get killed after that mission two years ago. Dean hadn't really been the same since then. Truth be told, he hadn't been the same since the whole damn Croatoan thing started.

It began four years before, when Lucifer gave Sam an ultimatum; say yes, or watch humanity get wiped out. Neither brothers thought he was bluffing, after all, he _was _Lucifer. Sam had prepared to say yes, said his goodbyes to the ones he loved and went with Dean to Detroit to meet Lucifer. Yet just as he opened his mouth to speak, to give his consent, both he and Dean were sent away by an unknown force. To this day, no one knows what stopped him from saying yes, although some believe it had something to do with the angels not allowing Dean to be harmed, which would have likely happened if Lucifer was allowed into his true vessel with Dean present.

Soon after the events in Detroit, mass infection began spreading all over the globe. Eventually, the world was in shambles, a broken shell of what it used to be. The Winchesters blamed themselves, Dean most of all. He threw himself into missions, becoming almost reckless with killing Croats. And it was this recklessness that allowed Sam to be separated during a mission, to go missing without a trace. He left with some of Dean's best, and they came home without him. Dean and his men searched endlessly for the lost man, but eventually they gave up hope and Sam was presumed dead.

Things had finally got quiet around camp when Dean heard some shouting outside. He ignored it, figuring it was just some of the teenagers messing about, until the warning sound rang. What had originally been used as a bell to let children at summer camp know when food was ready was now used to tell people that danger was nearby. Letting out a deep breath, he pushed himself to his feet and turned towards the cabin door, grabbing his shotgun on the way out. _What now?_

It was almost dark out, the sun just beginning to set in the west, covering the camp with a soft, dusky glow. The camp grounds were almost vacant, which was expected as it was late in the day and everyone was in the mess hall eating their evening meal. Dean had grabbed something from there earlier, not wanting to spend his afternoon surrounded by children asking him about the latest mission he'd been on. Usually he could do it, even enjoyed talking to them, but they reminded him too much of Sam. Adoring, innocent faces, clinging onto every word he said. He could handle it on a good day, but sometimes the loss of his brother was too much to bear.

He followed the worn, dirt path towards the entrance of camp, nodding to the various people that weren't stationed at the fence. The camp itself was heavily guarded, but it was nothing compared to the one barrier between the grounds and what had once been Kansas City. The fence was separated by a single gate and was under constant surveillance. At least four guards were on duty at all times, monitoring what came in and out of camp and keeping enemies and Croats out.

Arriving at the entrance, his eyes instantly narrowed in on what was causing the uproar. A woman was on the other side of the chain link fence, a tall, slim thing with blonde hair, ripped clothing and blood covering her mouth and chin. Croat. He noticed several of his men (some who were on their shift, some who weren't) were stood near to the wall separating the camp from the rest of the city, but weren't shooting. For a split second, Dean wanted to reprimand them for this, until he took a closer look at the Croat. She wasn't running towards them in a violent rage, as infected people usually did, but rather was stumbling forwards, shiny tear tracks painting her cheeks.

"Please. _Please_, help me." she mumbled, over and over.

In corner of his eye Dean saw that his men had realised their leader had arrived, and they raised their guns towards the girl opposite them. Cold panic filled him, and he rushed forward.

"Stop!" he yelled, "Damn it, stop! Do not shoot. She's not one them."

His men stood down, looking at him in confusion. The blood and ragged appearance was a sure giveaway that a person was infected, and Dean was known to be ruthless about killing them. It was a shock to them all to hear their leader give the orders to not shoot.

"What are you talking about? Look at her, I mean, the blood?" The nearest guard, Miles, asked. He'd originally been a marine, until the virus took out most of the population. After that, he'd packed up his life and came seeking refuge at Camp Chitaqua with his wife and their six month old daughter.

"She's not one them, _do not shoot her_. That's an order. Do I make myself clear?" Dean asked, looking around at his men forcefully. He saw how they all swallowed and nodded quickly, lowering their guns even more. Satisfied, he turned back to the girl. She was staring at him with a thankful expression, but he could see the fear lying behind it. He sighed, and nodded for the guards at the gate to let her in if the coast was clear.

The girl moved quickly past the gates once they were opened, feeling a slight gust of wind as they immediately shut behind her with a dull 'thunk'. She looked around at her surroundings; armed men at the gates, intimidating leader in the middle of it all and the outlines of cabins over their shoulders. If she was correct, she was in Camp Chitaqua.

She'd made it.

There was a moment of silence before Dean broke it, "Okay," He began, "Anyone who's not on their shift go back to main base. Anyone who is, get back to work and be ready for shift change in two hours. And you," He added, pointing at the girl, "Come with me."

He turned away from the group, taking long strides back down the path, not looking back to see if she was following. He didn't need to; he knew she would. Caroline watched his retreating figure for a moment, before a cough from behind brought her back to reality and she hurried after him. They walked almost in silence towards camp, their out of sync breathing the only sound in the air.

"What's your name?" Dean asked almost stoically, tilting his head towards the haggard looking girl and breaking the silence once again.

"Uh," she swallowed back the dryness in her throat, "C-Caroline."

"Caroline." he nodded, "I'm Dean."

Caroline didn't respond to that. She didn't know how to. The man seemed threatening, the air of authority about him never leaving. She supposed that saying 'it's nice to meet you' would be out of place for her, perhaps even for him. So she kept quiet, and let him lead her to wherever they were going.

* * *

Dean's cabin was almost empty except for his bed, the large desk in the middle of the room with the wooden chair behind it and the bookshelf situated in the corner, housing several books that Dean hadn't read in years. There was a small kitchen area- if it could even be called a kitchen area, as it was just a tap and a camp stove on a counter. All meals were eaten in the mess hall, so there wasn't much need for a kitchen in everyone's cabin.

Caroline hovered uneasily in the middle of the room, shifting her weight from foot to foot nervously. She wasn't sure where to stand, or how to talk to the intimidating man stood behind the desk. She decided that complimenting usually worked, in her experience.

"It- It's a nice place you've got here." she said with a nervous laugh. Dean didn't answer. What was he supposed to say? Thank you? His cabin was a mess, but it was as close to home as he could get. And besides, he wasn't going to start with the pleasantries until he knew if she could be trusted or not.

"So where are you from?" he asked, turning to the 'kitchen area' to pour a glass of water. He made it look like he'd turned on the tap, but instead he grabbed the bottle of water with a rosary hanging inside it and poured it into the glass. Turning back to face her, he handed the glass towards Caroline with a slight smile. It was partially forced, to encourage her to drink it. She wasn't a Croat, but that didn't mean she couldn't be something else. Like working for Lucifer, one of his hell bitches.

Caroline took the water with a shy smile, and Dean watched as she took a sip, narrowing his eyes when nothing happened. _Okay, so not a demon._

"I'm from Virginia, Mystic Falls to be exact."

Dean wracked his brain; he was sure he'd worked a case nearby Mystic Falls a few years back, before the whole Apocalypse business. Possibly a ghoul, but he wasn't completely sure.

"Well you sure are a long way from home."

Caroline's expression dropped, "Yeah, my friends and I fled Mystic when it was hit with the... virus. We'd heard about a safe place in Kansas City, so we headed here. I was... separated from them a while back, but carried on alone."

Dean pursed his lips, but didn't reply. He sensed it was a hard subject for her to talk about. He could relate, he supposed. He definitely had his fair share of hard subjects and raw memories.

"Do you mind if I use the water to clean up?" Caroline asked, changing the subject quickly. She assumed she could shower later, if she was allowed to stay here, but her hands and face were starting to feel uncomfortable. Dean nodded, gesturing behind him to the tap with a nonchalant wave of his hand. She smiled gratefully, moving past him to reach the 'kitchen area'.

While her back was turned, Dean moved quickly to his desk, opening the top drawer and rooting around for what he needed. When his fingers wrapped around the familiar cool metal, he smirked to himself in triumph. Grabbing the handle of the knife, he hid it in his sleeve and turned to the girl by the tap. He moved silently until he was just behind her, then reached over as if to make it look like he was grabbing something from the drawer in the counter. He pulled back, purposely making the blade scratch against Caroline's arm as he did so. She yelped, drawing back her arm in pain with an incredulous look.

"What the hell!"

Dean frowned; it had hurt her, as it would have hurt any normal being. But there wasn't a burning, sizzling sensation when the silver touched her skin. He guessed he could rule out shapeshifter, skinwalker, werewolf or wraith then.

"Sorry," Dean tried to look apologetic, "Guess I'm clumsy."

"Uh huh." Caroline said, looking at him sceptically. She shook her hands quickly to remove the excess water, before moving over to her previous position on the other side of the desk. Dean unnerved her, so she figured a piece of furniture between them was her best bet until she knew she could trust him fully. Or at least, trust him enough not to harm her. She knew the knife was no accident, he hadn't even been convincing at trying to look like he was sorry.

Dean was silent, calculating as he looked over the girl in front of him. With the blood removed from her face, he could see her features properly. Her face was heart-shaped, with full pink lips and freckles dotted across her nose and cheekbones. Her eyes were a dark blue framed by shadowy lashes, and they stared right back at him. All in all, she was an attractive girl. Not what Dean used to go for, a little too good girl next door for his past tastes, but it had been a while since he'd considered any of that. There were more pressing matters at hand. Yet his gut was telling him that something was off. He took another look at her, quickly scanning her body with one glance before realising. She wasn't breathing. The slow rise and fall of her chest that usually signified that someone was alive wasn't there. Dean may have not hunted anything but Croats in a while, but he knew that wasn't natural.

"You're not Croat, but there's no way you're human. What are you?" Dean asked, putting his weight on the desk as he leant forwards, eyes glaring. Caroline opened her mouth as if to speak, but found she couldn't form the words. Dean's gaze narrowed. He stepped around the desk, standing in front of her with both hands gripped to her upper arms.

"Damn it!" he yelled, making Caroline jump at the sudden noise, "What. Are. You?"

He leaned in close to her face, their noses almost touching. Caroline leant away from him, trying to create as much space between them as she could. He growled under his breath, jolting her when he didn't get an answer.

"I said _what are you?!_"

Caroline pushed him away, "I'm a vampire, okay?!"

Dean's eyes widened, something Caroline wouldn't have caught if it weren't for her heightened senses, as it was gone as soon as it appeared on his face. Then he was stalking towards her, grabbing his knife from the desk and cornering her with the knife pressed against her throat.

"Give me _one_ good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." He hissed, pushing the knife further against her neck.

"Because..." she gasped out, "Because I know where Sam is."

* * *

A/N: This is my first non-bandom fan fiction I've ever written, so I'm quite nervous about this! This story is set in end!verse as some people like to refer to it. It will (hopefully) be a full length, 30+ chaptered fic once it's complete, give or take a few chapters as I haven't written much of it yet. I'm not putting a set date/time period on how often I update or when I update, just know that I'll update asap and feel free to moan at me if I haven't updated in a while without giving you reasons beforehand. Also, if any of the characters seem OOC to you, there's a reason behind it. Obviously, Dean and Caroline won't be the same people we see in the TV show as such, as in this story both of them have lost a lot, the Apocalypse has happened and they've needed to adapt because of this. With all this being said, I hope you enjoy my fic! :3


	2. Explanations

**Disclaimer:** I do not - in any way - own any of the characters from any TV shows mentioned in my work. I only own my original characters and plotlines. Any similarities to real life people whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean, _'you know where Sam is'_?" Dean demanded, leaning in closer, "Sam's dead. He's dead."

Caroline knew that was hard for him to day, saw the way his jaw tightened and how he tried to mask the pain that flared up in his eyes as he said his brother's name. He was close enough that Caroline could count the numerous freckles covering his face, and in any other circumstances she'd be appreciating his looks and close proximity, but at that moment all she could focus on was convincing the hurting man in front of her that his brother was not, in fact, dead.

"He's not, he's alive." she said, meeting his gaze with wary eyes.

"You're lying," Dean hissed, his grip on the knife tightening. "What kind of sick joke is this? Sammy's gone."

Caroline shook her head, "No, he's not. Lucifer said he was holding Sam captive."

"How do you know about Lucifer?"

Caroline exhaled sharply, "You know, I'd be a lot better at explaining if you didn't have a freakin' blade pressed to my throat." When Dean didn't make any movement to remove the knife, she continued. "Or you could just kill me now and save us all the pleasantries beforehand."

Dean frowned at her sarcasm, assuming by pleasantries she meant the questioning and obvious stalling. Part of him wanted nothing more than to press the knife in harder, to kill the monster masquerading as a girl. But he found no malice in her eyes, and as much as he'd tried to convince himself otherwise with some false closure, he was still grasping, clinging to the slight hope that Sam was alive. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he released the pressure on the knife and stepped back, giving Caroline some space.

"Okay then," he said, "Explain."

Caroline nodded, a hand reaching up to massage where the knife had been just moments before. She eyed Dean warily, unsure of whether he was going to attack her again. Once she decided that he wouldn't for now, she began to explain.

"Well, you know I said I came from Mystic Falls, and that I was travelling with friends before we were separated?" Dean nodded. "We were just outside of St. Louis when we were stopped by these weird looking people. Obviously we tried to escape - vamp speed and all, but they were stronger, and we were surrounded..."

_The sun lay low in the sky, a bleeding sphere that bathed everything in a sickly red. Burnt-out cars littered the street, the stench of sulphur hanging in the air, creeping around the abandoned buildings like a snake waiting to attack. Aside from this, the area was completely deserted. Four figures wandered in the middle of the street, two males, two females. They'd been travelling for days, only stopping for rest and sustenance. They were weak, as though they hadn't eaten properly in days. The brunette female was leaning on one of the males, a tall man with short, chestnut hair and broad shoulders. Ahead of them, a raven haired man and a blonde woman walked slowly but surely forwards, surveying their surroundings._

_It was eery, Caroline decided. There should be men mowing the lawn, children playing, wives sharing stories over garden fences as they hung out their laundry. Now, it was like walking through a ghost town. Literally._

_Caroline's eyes grazed over the houses lining the street. Most of the windows were smashed, doors broken in, and what used to be perfect white picket fences were now spotted with red, the gates hanging off their hinges. Every town they had passed through had been the same. They'd originally took to the highways to travel, but after a close run in with some of the infected they'd decided that the suburbs were a much safer option._

"_Well this is just charming. Real 'homeowner of the year'."_

_Caroline tilted her head to look at the man beside her, "Damon, have some respect."_

_He didn't reply. Instead, he turned to Stefan and Elena, who were stood staring at an empty garden, children's toys strewn about haphazardly, forgotten. He nudged his brother's shoulder, gesturing for them to keep going. They couldn't do anything here. It was too late._

_The four carried on moving quietly, not wanting to take a proper look around again. It would only remind them of how much they had lost, how much had to be left behind._

"_What's that?" Stefan asked, breaking the silence._

_Caroline squinted; there were three figures in the distance, standing in formation. From what she could make out, it was two males and a female._

"_Hey, guys?" she called out over her shoulder, "Think we should turn back?"_

"_Ah... I think it's a bit late for that." she heard Damon reply from behind. She turned to see what he meant. More dark figures stood at the entrance of the street. Caroline kept turning, seeing people emerge form the shadows in between the houses, black eyes glinting warningly. They were surrounded._

"_Wha- what do we do?" Elena gasped, circling around in panic. As a young vampire, she was still adjusting to the newness of it all, and sometimes forgot about her heightened invulnerability._

_Suddenly, Stefan dropped in a defensive stance in front of Elena, his lip curled up in a snarl, fangs bared._

"_Now, now... is that any way to behave?" a voice echoed out, chuckling. "You vampires, you're all the same. Uncivilised. Primal. Monsters."_

_The group spun around to face the new voice. Two men and a woman stood before them, in the middle of the road. Clearly, these people moved faster than they'd expected. Moved faster than them._

_Caroline took a closer look at them; one of the men was tall, with short, sandy hair and intense eyes. There were wounds on his face, almost as if he was slowly melting. The man next to him was the complete opposite, with hair as inky as night and dark, flat eyes that sparked with only one emotion. Greed. He stared at the group of friends, sizing them up with a leer. The redhead opposite him was small, a lithe body clad in lace and leather like a slutty biker (or perhaps Caroline was biased because she was a potential enemy, who knows?). She fixed them with a gaze, looking at Stefan and Damon in particular with a seductive smirk._

" _Who are you?" Caroline asked, false-confidence in her voice._

_The woman laughed, a high-pitched peal that felt like nails scratching against a chalkboard. "It's always the same with all of you, isn't it? 'Who are you? What do you want? What are you doing here?' Such nosy, prying creatures."_

"_Hush," The tall, sandy haired man held up a hand, "We don't have time for this. Come with us."_

_It took Caroline a moment to realise the last part was directed at them, and by then Damon was already speaking._

"_Why should we go anywhere with you, dick?"_

_The man smirked, "Such insolence." And then Damon was on the ground, hands clutching his head in pain. Stefan and Elena jumped to catch him, but found themselves caught in the grasp of the black-eyed people surrounding them. Caroline knew they weren't human. No human had those eyes._

"_So what..." Damon ground out, looking up at the trio, "You're witches?"_

"_Oh, we're much more than witches, **boy**." The man glared down at the vampire, as though it was an insult to be even associated with witchcraft. The other two began to move, circling Caroline and the others like predators with their prey._

_Caroline moved closer to her friends instinctively, trying to avoid tall, dark and creepy touching her. The dark haired man sidled past her, his gaze travelling up and down her body. She wanted to scrub her body clean from just that. He moved closer, an arm snaking around her, pinning her arms against her sides. He leant in close, inhaling into her hair before groaning in appreciation._

"_Get off me!" Caroline cried, trying to pull away from him to no avail._

"_Mmm," he murmured, "This one's feisty. Can I keep her, Lucifer? She'll be a nice addition to my collection."_

_The other man – Lucifer, Caroline assumed (and **Lucifer**, really? As in the Devil? Come on) – sighed. "Behave, Mammon." He chastised, "Don't get ahead of yourself. You know they come willingly, or we use force."_

"_We won't come with you." Caroline said, determination in her voice. She looked at Lucifer, her eyes trying to emphasise her point._

_Lucifer sighed, "Why must you insist on being so rebellious? Come with us."_

"_No."_

"_You're just like Sam and his brother running that **infernal** camp of his."_

_The camp, it was real? There really was a safe place out there. Caroline felt herself sag slightly with relief. At least there was refuge if they ever got out of this damn situation with these freaks._

"_Why do you want us?" Elena yelled suddenly, the demon holding her tightening it's grip._

_Lucifer turned to her, smiling as though she was a child, "Because you're different. All of you."_

_He continued to speak, but Caroline couldn't concentrate. His voice was just a quiet buzz in the background. She couldn't focus on any words, not when Mammon had his arm around her. She felt his grip loosen, and saw a chance to escape._

_As soon as she was sure almost everyone was distracted, she jammed her heel on Mammon's toes. He let go, not expecting her to try and escape. She slammed her elbow into his face, hearing his nose crunch satisfyingly. Before he could grab her again, Caroline was out of his reach. She looked at her friends, hesitating._

"_Run, Caroline!" Stefan screamed, "Run!"_

_In the corner of her eyes she saw Mammon rushing towards her with an angry screech._

"_Run!" Stefan repeated._

_And so she did._

"I carried on alone after that. I haven't seen my friends since then. God, I don't know if they're even alive. How could I just leave them like that?"

Dean didn't have a response to that. Nothing he could say would make her hurt less. He hadn't known her friends, hell, he was sure if he'd met Caroline or her friends under different circumstances he'd have killed them without a second thought, just because they were vampires. Although, now that he thought about it, Caroline wasn't like any vampire he'd ever met. Even so, it didn't mean he'd be trusting her any time soon.

"You say you heard the camp was a safe place?" he asked, changing the subject.

Caroline nodded, "Yeah. We – we heard it over a radio. Military frequency or something. All they ever talked about was a refuge camp in Kansas City."

Dean hummed in response. He didn't know what he'd have done if they'd all turned up at his door. He didn't know what to do with one vampire, let alone four. He figured he'd use Caroline to find his brother, and then either let her go her own way or kill her. He didn't trust her, and besides finding Sam, he didn't need her. But for now, she needed to be around.

"So, you're thinking of staying?" Dean asked, leaning against his desk, all of his anger dissipated.

"If that's okay with you." Caroline replied meekly. She tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, looking at Dean almost shyly. He could see the silent pleading in her eyes, willing him to let her stay.

"I..." Dean wasn't completely certain that this was a good idea, but he did need her right now, "I'm sure it'll be fine." _For a while_, he added silently.

"Thank you!" Caroline grinned.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't mention it."

Caroline almost wanted to hug him for letting her stay, but thought better of it. He'd probably change his mind and kill her if she did that. She knew she had a long way to go before he trusted her, and she would do everything she could to convince him that she was different. That she wasn't the monster he thought she was.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I'm sorry this took so long for me to update. I was on holiday last week so I wrote this chapter then, but I'm sorry I didn't let you all know beforehand. Anyway... the plot thickens! I've introduced some 'technically' OC characters- well, they're not 100% OC because they're actually from theology. I'm just taking them and adding more personality, fleshing them out a bit. You'll find out more about them in later chapters, but right now it's all about Dean not trusting Caroline and how she tries to earn his trust. Let me know what you think of this chapter! :3


	3. Settling In

**Disclaimer:** I do not - in any way - own any of the characters from any TV shows mentioned in my work. I only own my original characters and plotlines. Any similarities to real life people whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

* * *

_Caroline was surrounded by darkness, a thick fog that made it impossible to see more than a few centimetres in front of her. Her head felt hazy, groggy as though she was under the influence of narcotics. The air felt heavy, thick with smoke and a smell just as strong. Terrified screams echoed around her. She tried to turn, to see where the screams were coming from, but found herself unable to see or hear anything properly. She squinted her eyes, as if it would help any._

_More screams rang in her ears, several a few feet in front of her. She began to run, blind from the smoky substance filling her vision. Her legs pumped faster, feet pounding against the ground as the screams grew more and more terrified. It was a horrifying sound._

"_Caroline!" A voice cried out, raw with fear. "Caroline, help us!"_

_Tears welled up in Caroline's eyes as she ran towards the voice. She wanted to tell them she was coming, to yell until her voice was hoarse, but no sounds came out of her mouth. She choked up, the words getting caught in her throat. _

"_Caroline, please!" The voice screamed again._

_She had never felt helplessness this strong before, it frustrated her greatly. She kept running towards the voice, but it just seemed to get further and further away the more she chased it._

"_Caroline!"_

_The ground began to shake, began to crumble underneath her feet._

"_Caroline!"_

_She felt herself falling, a cry tearing itself out of her throat as the hurtled downwards. As she fell, she felt hands grabbing at her, pulling in her in all different directions._

"_Caroline!"_

She woke with a jolt, sitting up instantly with a loud scream. Her breath heaved for a few moments – not that it was necessary – and she scrabbled at the bedsheets with panicked hands. Her eyes shot around the room, taking in the wooden interior of the cabin she had slept in last night. She slowly allowed herself to relax. She was at Camp Chitaqua, not back in Mystic Falls. She was safe.

Her eyes fell shut as she took a deep breath in, her grip on the fabric beneath her loosening. When she opened them again, her gaze fell on the dark-haired, bearded man grinning at her.

"Up and at 'em, newbie!" he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder before moving back. "You've got a big day ahead of you. Now come on, get ready 'cause it's nearly time for breakfast."

It took Caroline a moment to register what he said. She shook her head quickly to clear her mind, standing up and stretching her limbs out.

"Uh..." she looked back at the man, whom she realised she was actually taller than, "Who are you?"

He nodded, still smiling, "Of course. You got here so late yesterday you probably didn't get to meet me – or anyone else for that matter. Dean kept you in his cabin for a while." He stuck his hand out towards Caroline. "I'm Chuck Shurley, in charge of supplies here at Camp Chitaqua."

Caroline took his hand warily, "Caroline Forbes."

Chuck nodded again, then gestured to the door. "Coming?"

She looked down at herself, noting that she was still in the same clothes she arrived in. Glancing around the room, she spotted a small pile of clothes on a table nearby the bed, along with a hairbrush, a pair of work boots and a toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Give me five minutes to change?"

"Of course." Chuck said, "I'll be right outside."

After he left the room, Caroline quickly changed her clothes, leaving the dirty ones on the table where the other pile had been. She ran the brush through her hair, wincing as it pulled at the tangles and knots there. She brushed her teeth as fast as she could, before opening the door and meeting Chuck outside. He gave her another smile and nod, then jogged down the steps leading from the cabin and began to lead the way to the mess hall where the rest of the camp were having breakfast.

* * *

The mess hall was crowded and noisy. Caroline hadn't been around this many humans since before the first breakout of the Croatoan virus, and whilst she wasn't completely starved of blood, she knew she would need food soon before her cravings kicked in. It wouldn't exactly make a great first impression on the camps inhabitants if she bit one of them, especially as none of them knew she was a vampire except Dean.

Speaking of the camp leader, he was nowhere to be found. Caroline couldn't find him anywhere in the room. She did find nearly everyone's eyes on her though. She squirmed uncomfortably under their gaze; she used to love having attention on her, but that had changed over the years. She was no longer the self-centred cheerleader she used to be. The virus had made sure of that.

She made her way to the back of the line congregating around the food, not inhaling through her nose to make sure she couldn't smell anyone's blood. That didn't mean she couldn't hear it though. She could hear it almost perfectly, coursing through everyone's veins, pumping loudly in her ears. Caroline didn't usually have issues with control, but she hadn't fed in a few days and even then it hadn't been satisfying enough.

"You okay?" A voice made her jump, stopping her train of thought. She turned, seeing Chuck frowning behind her.

She shrugged, "Just hungry, I guess." _You have no idea how much, _she added to herself. No one knew she wasn't human, not even Dean's highest in command. They'd decided this before she left for bed the night before, as Dean didn't want to cause any panic amongst those living in the camp. Caroline couldn't exactly disagree, and besides, it wasn't as if people who knew about vampires were the most accepting of them.

"If you say so." Chuck didn't seem completely convinced, but he didn't push it any further. He leaned over, grabbing two trays and two bowls from the shelf next to where Caroline was standing and handed one of each to her. She took them with a smile, hoping that it didn't look too pained or forced.

"We usually have porridge for breakfast. Oats are the only thing that will keep long enough for us to store." Chuck explained as they got their food.

Caroline nodded, following him over to a table where a few people were already sat down at. She placed her tray of food down next to Chuck's, taking a seat near the edge of the table.

"Caroline, this is Miles," Chuck gestured to a blonde man who Caroline recognised from the gate the day before, "His wife Elliot and their two year old daughter, Alexis." A red-haired, freckled woman smiled at her, and the young girl in her lap peeked out from under her red curls with a shy wave. Alexis was adorable, Caroline decided, a perfect match between her mother and father, with dimples in each cheek and blue eyes that were full of curiosity and wonder.

"It's nice to meet you all." Caroline smiled almost shyly.

"You too, sweetie." Elliot replied.

"Elliot's actually going to be showing you around later, she volunteered after she heard about your arrival last night." Chuck interjected in between mouthfuls of breakfast.

Caroline smiled at the older woman, "Thank you, honestly, it's very kind of you."

Elliot shook off her compliment with a laugh, and the group continued eating their meal in almost silence, only making small conversation as they ate.

* * *

"...and this is where the residential cabins are. Literally everyone but Dean lives here, and even his cabin is only about five minutes away."

Caroline nodded, taking in Elliot's words eagerly. She was fascinated by how well the camp was set out and how smoothly it was run. It seemed like Dean had everything under control.

The pair of women walked down the path leading down the middle of the cabins, Elliot pointing out who lived in which cabin. Caroline was fairly certain she'd forget most of the names mentioned; names weren't her strong point, and she needed to meet the people for them to make an impact on her.

They were just passing the cabin at the end of the path when a man emerged from the beaded curtain in place of a door. Caroline raised an eyebrow; surely that wasn't safe? The man had incredibly dark, messy hair and scruff around his jawline, a placid look in his eyes. He stretched his arms upwards, before looking around at his surroundings. His eyes fell on Caroline and Elliot and he grinned, making his way towards them.

"Are you here for the orgy?" He asked, tilting his head towards her slightly.

Caroline sputtered at his unexpected question, her eyes flying wide. "Uh... n-no?"

The man frowned, "Shame."

"Caroline, this is Castiel." Elliot said, fond exasperation in her voice.

"Pssh, call me Cas." He said, his grin quickly back in place. Caroline returned it unsurely and introduced herself with an extended hand. Castiel took it, gripping tightly but not shaking it. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but a call of his name from the cabin he exited from stopped him. The three of them looked over at the 'door' (if it could be even called that), seeing a short woman with black hair peeking it out of it.

Castiel turned back to the other two, "Sorry ladies, duty calls. I'll see you around, _Caroline_."

Caroline and Elliot watched him retreat back into his cabin before carrying on down the path, following it down to where it joined with the main path that weaved through the main camp.

"So..." Caroline began. "Is he always like that?"

Elliot laughed, "Who, Castiel? Nah, it's just because you're new. He is a bit of a womaniser, but he knows to back off if you're not interested." There was a slight pause before, "_Are_ you interested?"

"God, no! No, I just got here. I don't think relationships would be the best idea right now." As Caroline said this, she found herself thinking of the previous night when Dean pressed up against her. Sure, he had been threatening her, but he was attractive and it had been a while since Caroline had been intimate with anyone.

"Castiel isn't a relationship kind of guy, if you know what I mean."

Caroline found herself laughing, "Yeah, well... that either."

The pair continued to walk around camp; by now, Caroline had a good idea of where everything was, and how the camp was run. Meals were served three times a day and food was rationed out equally, with those in more need of food (i.e. pregnant women, children and people with illnesses) getting slightly more rations. Most of the camp were up by 7am and lights out was at 11pm. The medical supplies and weapons were kept locked up and under top security, but were available to those who needed them. Elliot explained that she was a nurse at the medic cabin, and they were often short of some medical supplies so people had to go out and scour for supplies a lot of the time. It was getting harder to find supplies as time passed. Caroline almost felt lucky that she didn't have to worry about most human things.

"Caroline!" A deep voice called out from behind them. Caroline turned to see Dean waving an arm at her, a gun strapped to his back and his typical military attire on.

"Yeah?"

"I want to talk about rescue plans." Caroline knew he meant finding Sam, so she shrugged at Elliot before saying her goodbyes and rushing over to the man waiting for her.

* * *

A/N: You know what sucks? Writers block does. I would have updated sooner but this chapter just didn't want to come out. I promise I will update quicker with the next chapter, pinky swear! Ugh, I'm still not 100% happy with this chapter but it's technically only a filler to introduce more characters. So, how do you like Cas, Chuck and Elliot? I know I added Miles and Alexis in as well, but they didn't get as much of an intro so yeah. I have a free day tomorrow so I'll start writing the next few chapters then - the next chapter is definitely more interesting than this one, promise! Let me know what you thought of this chapter, lovelies. :3


	4. Healing Wounds

**Disclaimer:** I do not - in any way - own any of the characters from any TV shows mentioned in my work. I only own my original characters and plotlines. Any similarities to real life people whether living or dead is purely coincidental.

* * *

Caroline spent the several days following her arrival getting used to life in the camp. When she wasn't learning her way around or meeting new people, she was in Dean's cabin working out strategies for rescuing Sam. She'd noticed a difference in the camps leader; he seemed as though the heavy weight on his shoulders was slowly lifting off, although the serious and intimidating demeanour he always seemed to have was ever present.

She was supposed to be in Dean's cabin for another rescue mission planning session in – well, five minutes ago. Caroline sighed as she hurried down the path towards the cabin, shooting quick smiles and greetings at people she recognised as she rushed pat them. If the area was slightly more deserted then she would have considered using vampire speed, but she didn't quite feel like explaining why she suddenly disappeared from one place and appeared in another.

"Sorry – I'm sorry I'm late!" she gasped out as she burst through Dean's door. She looked up at the room, already expecting the annoyed look on Dean's face and the startled look on the other men's faces. What she wasn't expecting was the amused expression of... _Castiel_, he brain added helpfully. This was the first time he'd joined one of these meetings – the other men she was expecting, but him she was not.

"Caroline!" he called out, his signature grin in place. "How lovely to see you again."

"You – you too Castiel." Caroline stammered in reply. She was usually quite eloquent with her words, but for some reason the carefree man made her uneasy, as though she wasn't sure if she was saying the right words back.

Castiel frowned, "Didn't I tell you to call me Cas?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry."

Dean cleared his throat, shooting a glare towards them. "You two done gossiping?"

"Yes." Castiel replied shortly, thinly veiled sarcasm in his voice.

Caroline's mouth quirked; it seemed that Cas was the only one brave enough to use that tone with Dean. She sure as hell wasn't. She assumed that Cas and Dean were probably friends, or at least had been in the past as Dean seemed to accept Cas' behaviour and mannerisms with almost fond exasperation. Natural curiosity got the better of her, and she made a mental note to ask Dean about it later.

"Great." Dean wrung his hands together. "Well, now that our guest of honour has _finally_ arrived, let's get started, shall we?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, discreetly so that Dean wouldn't notice. She moved forwards, taking a seat opposite Cas who was smirking at her, silently letting her know that whilst Dean hadn't seen her expression, _he _had. The man looked relaxed, giving the situation, with his legs propped up on the table and both his hand rested behind his head. He was completely laid-back, a carefree expression on his face.

"So, where are we up to?" she asked, looking back up at Dean.

He moved closer to the table, placing his hands on its edge and leaning forwards to address the group. "We think we're getting closer to finding the Colt. From what we last heard, it's somewhere in Pittsburgh."

"There's going to be a mission to get it, right?"

Dean raised an eyebrow at Caroline. "Of course there is. It's gonna be about 15 hours driving, plus with stops for rest and scouting out the areas we pass though it should take us at least a week to get there and back."

"Great," Caroline nodded, "When are we leaving?"

All eyes in the room turned to Dean as he opened his mouth to speak. "A few da–"

His words were drowned out by the sounds of yelling and panicked voices outside. Everyone in the cabin sat up straighter, their backs stiffening as their ears strained to hear what was going on.

"Oh God–"

"–so much blood!"

"Get him to the medics cabin, damn it!"

"That's an order!"

Caroline visibly paled; someone was hurt, and badly. Her instincts kicked in, wanting to go help in any way she could. Before the virus, she was always the one who people would come to for advice. She was always the one who would help if someone needed it. It hadn't changed now. Seeing that no one else was going to move, Caroline rose out of her seat, standing quickly before moving towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dean's voice asked from behind her.

She turned to face him, "I'm going to help. It's what I do – it's what I'm_ good_ at."

"No," Dean glared. "This is more important. So sit your ass back down and help with the planning."

"It's not more important, there is a _man's life_ at stake here!"

"That's not more important than potentially killing the Devil and saving what's left of the Earth? I need to get Sam back, and you're the only damn one who knows how to. Caroline sit down now, or I swear–"

"_No,_ Dean." Caroline hissed, and left before Dean could say anything else.

"Damn it!" Dean yelled, slamming his hands down on the table. He eyed the door, weighing up his options before coming to a final decision. He growled under his breath, and followed her to the medics cabin.

Caroline raced towards the cabin, using her vampire speed to propel herself forwards. Hardly anyone was around to see, but Caroline wouldn't have cared even if there was. She reached the cabin within seconds, bursting through the door with determination coursing through her body. The room was alive with movement, numerous people rushing around with medical supplies in their hands. Like the other cabins, the room was large and square, only this one was filled with cabinets, beds and stretchers. The walls had been painted a serene pale green, which contrasted greatly with the mass of red lying on one of the gurneys.

Caroline immediately sprang into action, moving closer to the man lying before her. She stopped breathing, careful not to inhale the scent of his blood. It had been almost a week since she had fed and she was beginning to fully feel the effects; she'd planned to hunt when they left to retrieve the Colt. She was certain they'd find some infected on their journey, and she could feed from those. It was disgusting, but she had to make do with what she could find. Vampires were immune to the virus, so she wasn't worried about becoming infected herself.

A gurgling cough brought her back into the room. The man spasmed upwards, clearly in excruciating pain. She was a few feet away, but even from that distance she could see that he had several deep wounds on his body, mainly on his chest and abdomen.

"You can't be in here." A short brisk woman with a gruff voice barked out, attempting to push Caroline from the room. "You're getting in the way."

Caroline shook her head, protesting. She could see quite easily that the man wasn't going to make it; she could help. He would bleed out unless she helped. With a sudden surge of responsibility for the man, she side-stepped the woman and hurried towards the gurney.

"Girl, I said you can't be in here!" The woman shouted from behind her, but Caroline tuned her out.

"Caroline?" A soft voice gasped, and the girl in question looked up to see Elliot looking at her in confusion. Caroline shook her head, silently letting the other woman know that she wasn't causing harm.

She needed to think quickly. Looking around for something sharp, her eyes fell upon a scalpel on a nearby table. Quickly she grabbed it, raising it to her wrist and pressing down. Instantly, dark crimson began to spill from the cut. The room's noise raised to a panicked roar as she placed the wound down on the injured man's lips.

Immediately, everyone began to grab her, pulling her away from the man with yells of "Infected!" and "Get Dean!".

"No, no- _Stop!"_ Caroline's voice raised to a scream. "Watch!"

She pointed to the man. No one listened to her, instead they continued dragging her away from him until another gasp from Elliot slowed them to a halt.

"He's- he's healing." she whispered, her eyes blowing wide with disbelief. True to her word, the others watched as the small, shallow cuts on the man's face began to knit together, closing as though they'd never been there in the first place.

Caroline felt the hard grasp on her arms release, and she rubbed her shoulders to remove the pain. Huffing, she moved back towards the man. This time, no one stopped her.

"I'm helping him." Was the only thing she said, reopening her wound and placing it over his mouth once again. "He'll need more than I can give him to heal him completely, but this should keep him out of dangerous waters."

Once she was finished, she stepped back to give the man some room. She could feel the suspicious and wary eyes burning into her, and she looked down slightly before turning away from the gurney and moving towards the door. She didn't wait for any thank you's, knowing she probably wouldn't get one for what she had done. Everyone was still in shock and anger over what she had done, so she didn't dare look at anyone's face.

If Caroline had been looking elsewhere than the floor, she would have noticed the figure of Dean in the corner of the room, having silently entered the room moments before in time to see her saving his soldier's life. He'd watched how her blood had begun healing the wounds on his face, confused thoughts flickering through his mind. As a vampire, Caroline's blood should have turned the man, yet it had healed him instead. Is this what she had meant when she'd told him Lucifer said she was different? Caroline continued to puzzle him with her unexpectedness. She definitely kept the weathered leader on his toes.

But Caroline didn't notice this as she hurried towards the door, and she certainly didn't notice the look of admiration following her as she left the room.

* * *

A/N: Guess who sucks at updating? -points at self- Wow, this chapter is short. I'm sorry, I hope it doesn't suck too bad. Writers block combined with a busy lifestyle sucks major balls. I promise that the next update will have some actual Dearoline in it, and that it won't take me years to post. Pinky swear :3 Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes in spelling or whatnot, I haven't had a proper check through it yet. Let me know what you think!


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